Reflection on Philosophical Concepts
Photo: Devil's Kitchen Sinkhole in Sedona Arizona by Vicky Oldham © 2004.
Note: Photo illustrates an idea, suggesting that forces of nature inspire our most perplexing questions about existence, discussions squarely addressed by philosophy.
by Vicky Oldham, December 20, 2021
Carl Dennis' (2013) poem, Introduction to Philosophy, offers sobering insights into important questions that philosophers from ancient Greece to the present have tried to answer. The main character of Dennis' poem is a student who is quiet until the last hour of the last class at the end of a course. Breaking her silence implies that although she has listened to the material over numerous class sessions, she still feels overwhelmed by so many unanswered questions. She wants to make sense of fate, injustice, and religion. Her quest for more direction in life is aptly expressed in the poem's line: "What truth do we lean on she wondered, that might steady her too if her faith should happen to stumble?" (Dennis, 2013, line 23-25). Although her classmates expressed outward discomfort with her questions, the girl asked what many of them found troubling as well.
The girl in the poem seeking answers to cope with life uncertainties and chaos reflects all of us, as most people remain silent about difficult questions until they encounter problems in life—especially those appearing impossible to solve. The aim of philosophers from ancient Greece to the present is to find answers to these "impossible" questions that persist even now. We learn that philosophy is the "love of wisdom" and study of fundamental questions about reality and human existence (Macat, 2016, 00:24). Based on questions about existence, knowledge, ethics, and the best ways to live, philosophy can help us find direction in a confusing world, offering ways to navigate the darkest moments in our lives.
It is fascinating to learn that even today, the focus on whether or not we have a soul is ongoing, originating from ancient Greek philosophy, continuing through the Medieval period, and now a concern of contemporary philosophy (Films Media Group, 2012, 03:24). The tools and perspectives have differed, but ideas about cognition and mind-body connections are as pertinent today as they were centuries ago. To learn that Plato's Republic still provides the basis against which later philosophical works are measured or that all later philosophical works exist to answer what Plato wrote is impressive to learn and underscores the challenges that lie ahead.
The most appealing aspect of philosophy is that it provides a method for critical thinking as well as a body of knowledge to explore life's most difficult questions. Philosophical inquiries like "what exists, what are ethics, and what constitutes justice (including is morality material, or something that comes from God?), what can we know, and what is the good life for a human being" are questions relevant to everyone.
Distinguishing a good or bad argument helps to answer philosophical questions. Critical reasoning and understanding an argument's components help philosophers create formalized logical arguments, with steps from premises to conclusions (Films Media Group, 2012). Specific methods of analysis help philosophers answer questions that connect centuries of philosophical ideas to present-day discoveries. When joined with complementary fields like neuroscience, philosophical thought provides opportunities for exploration that make its ongoing study significant and compelling.
References
Dennis, C. (2013). Introduction to philosophy. Ploughshares, vol. 39 (4).
Macat (2016, April 14). An introduction to the discipline of Philosophy. YouTube. https://youtu.be/zhnglxhzh7Y
Films Media Group. (2012). Introduction to philosophy: Philosophical tradition and method. Films On Demand. https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=105280&xtid=117898
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